Genetic polymorphisms of estrogen receptor alpha and catechol-O-methyltransferase genes in Turkish patients with familial prostate carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Estrogen is one of the most crucial hormones participating in the proliferation and carcinogenesis of the prostate glands. Genetic polymorphisms in the estrogen metabolism pathway might be involved in the risk of prostate carcinoma development. We evaluated the association between genetic polymorphisms in estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and catechol‑O‑methyltransferase (COMT) genes and the risk of developing familial prostate carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 34 cases with prostate carcinoma whose first‑degree relatives had prostate carcinoma and 30 healthy age‑matched male controls were enrolled. The genotypes of ESR1 and COMT genes were analyzed employing polymerase chain reaction‑restriction fragment length polymorphism method. 34 cases with prostate carcinoma, whose first degree relatives had prostate carcinoma and 14 age‑matched male controls were enrolled to analyze the genotype of these two genes. RESULTS: Among control patients, the ESR1 PvuII genotypes of C/C, C/T and T/T were observed in 37%, 26% and 37%, respectively, whereas the C/C, C/T and T/T genotypes were observed in 18%, 41% and 41% of case patients, respectively. Among controls, the ESR1 PvuII allele frequencies of C and T were equally observed, whereas the C and T allele frequencies were observed in 38% and 62% of patients, respectively. Among ESR1 PvuII genotypes there were not any significant difference in terms of genotype (P = 0.199) and allele (P = 0.181) frequencies. Among controls, the ESR1 XbaI genotypes of G/G, G/A and A/A were observed in 33%, 37% and 33%, respectively, whereas the G/G, G/A and A/A genotypes were observed in 12%, 47% and 41% of patients, respectively. Among controls, the ESR1 XbaI allele frequencies of A and G were observed equally, respectively, whereas the A and G frequencies were observed in 65% and 35% of patients, respectively. Among ESR1 × baI, there was not any significant difference in terms of genotype (P = 0.111) and allele (P = 0.093) frequencies. But the C/C genotype of the PvuII site and G/G genotype of the XbaI site in the ESR1 gene were associated significantly with the risk of developing prostate carcinoma. The G/G, G/A and A/A genotypes of the COMT gene were observed in 50%, 29% and 21% of control patients and in 53%, 21% and 26% of case patients, respectively. The A and G allele frequencies of the COMT gene were observed in 36.7%, 63.3% of control patients and in 36.8%, 63.2% of case patients, respectively. In COMT gene, there was not any significant difference in terms of genotype (P = 0.843) and allele (P = 0.991) frequencies. But the G/A genotype of the COMT gene had a weak tendency toward increased risk. CONCLUSION: Polymorphisms of ESR1 gene in the estrogen metabolism pathway were associated significantly with familial prostate carcinoma risk. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of low‑penetrance genes are targets for understanding the genetic susceptibility of familial prostate carcinoma.

Association between pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections disease and tumor necrosis factor-α gene−308 g/a, −850 c/t polymorphisms in 4-12-year-old children in Adana/Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) is a newly defined disease in neuropsychiatry and occurs with an autoimmune mechanism after Group A Beta Hemolytic Streptococcus (GABHS) infection. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), encoded by TNF-α gene has an important role in the apoptotic mechanisms of autoimmune diseases. Recently, TNF-α polymorphisms and autoimmune/psychiatric disorders have been reported to be related. In this regard, we focused on to investigate a possible relation between the TNF-α gene promoter region−308 G/A and − 850 C/T polymorphisms and PANDAS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, ages of PANDAS patient and control groups were ranging from 4 years to 12-year-old. Patient group includes childhood onset PANDAS patients (n = 42) and control group includes healthy children (n = 58). Diagnoses have been carried out according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-IV) criteria with Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime (KSAD-S-PL) and Children Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Moreover, PANDAS criteria established by the American National Psychiatry Institute have been employed for diagnoses. For identifying polymorphisms; Polymerase Chain Reaction, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism and Polyacrylamid Gel Electrophoresis were used. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: For −308 polymorphism, 37 of 42 PANDAS patients’ results and for −850 C/T polymorphism, 38 of 42 PANDAS patients’ results were obtained. According to our statistical analysis there is a positive relationship between PANDAS patients for −308 G/A polymorphism but not for −850 C/T polymorphism. There is no positive relationship between −308 G/A polymorphism and antistrep-tolysin O (ASO) titers and no relationship between −850 C/T polymorphism and ASO titers. We found, however, positive relationship between genders of patients (boys) and the disease. According to our results, we propose that the AA polymorphism of −308 G/A polymorphism can be used as a molecular indicator for PANDAS.

Capture-recapture methods for estimation of fertility and mortality in a rural district of Turkey

The study used capture-recapture methods to determine if information on births, deaths and family planning use obtained from two data sources provides the same or more complete information than that available from a single source. Five different data sources used were: village heads [mukhtars], community health volunteers, primary health care centres, maternal and child care units and local administrative units [health group presidencies] in 10 selected villages in a rural area of Turkey from May to October 1999. Although the numbers of deaths and births were estimated, no estimation of the number of women using any family planning method could be made. The study highlights some data collection problems of the surveillance system in Turkey and recommends that the routine surveillance systems be strengthened